Tunku Zain elected SRAM president, vows stronger grassroots base for Malaysian squash's Olympic push

Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin Tuanku Muhriz was elected president of the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) at its annual general meeting on Friday 16 October 2026. He takes over from Gerard Monteiro, who had led the association since 2020.

The new president says he will keep the programmes that have made squash a reliable medal sport for Malaysia. His main focus will be on building a bigger base of young players ahead of squash's Olympic debut.

A change at the top

Tunku Zain is a former squash player. He spent eight years as president of the Negeri Sembilan Squash Association before moving up to the national body.

Gerard had said ahead of the AGM that the association would be in good hands under his successor. The new line-up for 2026 to 2028 includes Azlan Iskandar as deputy president and Sharon Wee as vice president. Ramlee Abdullah is honorary treasurer, and Nik Razeen Adam Daud is honorary secretary.

Continuity, not sweeping change

Tunku Zain said he does not plan big changes to the systems already in place. He pointed to squash's record as one of the most successful medal-winning sports in the country.

In his words, "Squash is already one of the most successful sports in Malaysia" in terms of medals and trophies. His plan is to keep that going rather than start over.

Grassroots and the pipeline

The main new emphasis is on grassroots development. Tunku Zain wants SRAM to work closely with state squash associations to bring more children into the sport.

He warned that without a pipeline of young players, the sport would lose continuity. A broad base also gives national coaches more talent to choose from when future stars emerge.

The Olympic goal

Squash makes its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games, and Malaysia has two players already booked. S. Sivasangari and Ng Eain Yow secured their Olympic places by defending their Asian Games singles titles in Japan late last month.

Sivasangari has reached a career-high world ranking of No. 4. Tunku Zain said he believes she can still improve in the coming years and promised to support her development.

The Star also ran a column on 6 October asking whether squash, rather than badminton, could deliver Malaysia's first Olympic gold. It credited Eain Yow and Sivasangari with handling big-stage pressure well in Japan.

Key takeaways

• Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin Tuanku Muhriz is the new SRAM president for 2026 to 2028.
• He succeeds Gerard Monteiro, who led SRAM from 2020.
• Grassroots growth and state association links are his main priorities.
• Sivasangari and Eain Yow have already qualified for the Los Angeles Olympics.

FAQ

Q: Who is the new SRAM president?

Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin Tuanku Muhriz, a former player and past Negeri Sembilan Squash Association president. He was elected at the AGM on 16 October 2026.

Q: Which Malaysian squash players have qualified for the Olympics?

S. Sivasangari and Ng Eain Yow earned Los Angeles places by defending their Asian Games singles titles in Japan.

Q: Will SRAM change its programmes?

Not dramatically. Tunku Zain said he wants to continue the existing systems and add a stronger focus on grassroots and youth development.

Sources: The Star, Bernama, Wikipedia